For all photobook lovers in and around New York City there is a huge photobook sale happening this weekend. These are books from the collection of the photographer Andy French and they cover a wide swath of different types of practice from art monographs to lots of fashion both old and new. Andy has been a book fanatic for about 30 years so there will be something for just about every area of interest. Many are rare and very out of print titles — all are priced to sell.

The sale is cash only and is happening from 11am until 5pm on Saturday November 1st and Sunday November 2nd. The address is just off Union Square at 22 East 17th Street, Rm. 1111 on the 11th floor.

I have read several posts lately on the photo worlds over-emphasis on emerging artists. With today’s announcement of the Critical Mass finalists, it got me thinking that perhaps this is because the blog community is primarily composed of emerging to early mid-career artists. There is lots of chatter about emerging artists online, because that is really the only forum that has embraced them. Traditional institutions, publishers, and galleries, rarely take a chance on them. For instance, artists featured in the MOMA’s New Photography series, almost all have previously had a solo show at a major New York or European Gallery. They are rarely 20 something’s right out of school. In fact the only artist I can think of who had immediate success at that age with little to no experience was Ryan McGinley.

The commercial world also tends to favor experienced photogs. While it is extremely difficult to maintain a long-term photo career, it is still less likely that a photo editor will take a chance on an untested photographer. Perhaps the truth of the matter is, that it is challenging to be an emerging photographer, and it is challenging to be an established photographer. However, I think Joerg Colberg has a point about age discrimination. There is certainly a bit of favoritism to the idea of the young emerging artist. But you can look at the internet, with its built in anonymity, as an opportunity for people of all ages to have a chance. We rarely look at the bios of artists on WIP until we have decided we are interested in showing the artist. So we don’t know their age often until we have decided to show their work.

Of course it is important that there be opportunities for everyone, no matter what their age. I certainly hope that the powers that be in photography, are willing to give everyone an equal chance. I struggled for a long time with the feeling that I was starting this too late, and if I was not in my early twenties I was too old to compete. But now I realize that was my own folly. So maybe getting miffed that “emerging” folks are getting all the attention is ultimately unproductive. It seems that your only option is to focus on doing the best you can at whatever stage you find yourself in your photo career. Most women learn early on in their life that there is always someone younger, prettier, smarter, thinner, with a better handbag, waiting in the wings. So at some point you have to utilize your wisdom and experience to show your merit. Cause their is always going to be a long line-up of “hot young things.”

And as the Malcom Gladwell New Yorker article so interestingly pointed out, creativity comes to fruition at different times for every person.

I can’t begin to express how happy with I am with how my Art In Odd Places, UV Beauties shoot transpired. It has been a long time since I anxiously awaited my film like it was Christmas morning. If they are half as amazing as the process of creating them on the streets of Manhattan over these last two weekends, I will be thrilled.

Now it is time to hunker down for a long post-production period, and dig in to edit and conceptualize the project a bit more. I feel that these new images have added an additional layer of meaning to the project, and I need time to process that evolution.

But I want to thank my incredible support staff from these past two weekends. Their hard work, for FREE, made this all possible, I am so grateful. Each one of them was professional, hard working and so enthusiastic, they made the shoot not only succeed, but so much fun.

The UltraViolet Beauties Team: Check out their sites, I had some pretty talented photogs in my midst.

Tomorrow

With the above as tomorrow’s forecast and Sunday supposed to be more like today, I am suddenly so glad I opted to get a rain date permit. So I will now be in the meatpacking district, on 14th st & 9th Ave, this Sunday from 10 – 4:30.

I have so many things to share about this incredible experience, however while in the midst of it, I feel unable to express it yet. Next week I promise to do a recap.

I know there are 12 million things to do tonight in photoland, but my vote goes toAmy Elkins & Sharon Core at Yancey Richardson. 535 W 22nd st – 6pm be there!

This is Amy’s Chelsea debut, and I promise will be fun for sure. I am so excited and happy for my WIP partner in crime. So many good things of late for all, also congrats to theJackanoryon his 1st prize winning PDN self-promo win, awards are tonight, and to Eric Percher& Alejandra Laviada, Sarah Small, Julie Blackmon and Kelli Connell for their AP emerging photographers of the year wins.

And don’t forget tomorrow from 10 am – 5pm and Saturday from 10 am – 5 pm, I will be at 9th Ave and 14th St, doing round two of my UVportraits.

Yesterday we launched the show of work of Toronto-bred photographer Naomi Harris. Her book America Swings is being releases from Taschen.

With the election only weeks away, I find Naomi’s work to be very important. America is enmeshed in a culture war, and sex is so often used a weapon in our culture. Women who “like sex” or look like they do are both reviled and elevated. Lindsay Lohan and Britney Spears being the easiest examples. However, Harris has spent many years in the living rooms and backyards of Bible Belt America, discovering that despite all of the contrary rhetoric and ideas about the religious right, there is a complex and indeed sexually active segment of that population. Looking at her images, my NYC friends, even the most wild ones, seem pretty tame. But these issues continue to dominate our political process. Harris’s images, whatever you think of them, are brave, unflinching, and show her commitment to explore things most of us are afraid to even consider. And they suggest that the Blue State/Red State divide is more of an economic and class war, than a moral one.

So head to wipnyc for a peek, and below is a link to an interview with Naomi by Richard Prince.

A couple new blogs to check out, by photographer’s Rebecca Horneand Anna Venezia, both of whom I have known for some time. Check out their budding endeavors and give them some support! Also, if you have any interest in super cool furniture design, my boyfriend continues to amaze me with his Brooklyn Modern blog. He recently filmed the new Bamboo exhibit at the Japan Society (pretty incredible stuff) keep an eye out for his post. And I got an email from Michael Werner of Two Way Lens, a blog I was previously unfamiliar with, he has an interview posted with the always interesting and impressive Zoe Strauss.

Also, another don’t miss, the current Bond St gallery exhibit, where my partners in crime, Justin James Reed, Timothy Briner & Jon Feinstein have their work featured. As well the photo blogs world’s most generous elder statesman, Brian Ulrich. It is soooo worth the train ride to Brooklyn:) Tim, I must own this picture!

Tim Briner& Will Steacy both stopped by to get their portraits done yesterday in Union Square. It was so great to see friendly faces, both of them have been a big support to the project. I had an amazing day yesterday and thanks to the help of a group of fantastic volunteers, I hope we made some great portraits.

Check out Tim’sblog, for a sneak peek. ( and don’t miss his work up now at Bond St Gallery! The group show is great!!!! And the opening this past Wednesday was the hottest place to be in town)

I will try to write more this weekend, but I may spend it home lying on the couch recovering in the darkness.

Join Aperture for a special evening of conversation between photojournalist Susan Meiselas and artist Alfredo Jaar. Meiselas joined Magnum Photos in 1976 and is renowned for her coverage of the insurrection in Nicaragua and her widely-published documentation of human rights issues in Latin America. Jaar emigrated from Chile at the height of Pinochet’s military dictatorship in 1981. His installations, photographs, films, and community-based projects bear powerful witness to military conflicts, imbalances of power, and political corruption.

On view until 11/8For Alejandra Laviada, Mexico City is more than her birthplace and home. The abandoned buildings and transitional aura of the sprawling capital city also serve as the inspiration and starting point of her original and inventive constructed still life photographs.

These photographs – exquisitely crafted large color prints – consist of elegant sculptural installations created on site from the everyday objects that Laviada finds in old and dilapidated buildings in Mexico City. The objects are mundane – dried out paint cans, old wheels, brooms, broken chairs, letters from old signage – but in Laviada’s hands each construction is both an elegant exercise in creatinga three dimensional work and a two dimensional record of pieces of history that are about to vanish while a new history is created. In Laviada’s own words her work “explores the shifting relationship between photography and sculpture, whereby ordinary objects are stripped of their traditional function and perceived differently”. On numerous levels, the works are about a reconciliation of past and future, classicism and modernism.

I saw Alejandra’s work at the Kathy Ryan exhibit at NY Photo Fest, she and Roger Ballen were the standouts to me, so I am not surprised she is having her NY gallery debut.

I am very excited that the AIOP project begins next week. Considering that I will be shooting outdoors on the streets of NYC, I am going to need some crowd wranglers and general help on the shoot. I am footing the bill on this project which is very large!!! So I could really use some help. If you are interested in coming out please email me, uvbeauties@gmail.com. Or pass it along to anyone you think would be interested.

Dates:

October 15th: preproduction

October 16th – 17th: Shoot

October 23rd: preproduction

October 24th – 25th: Shoot

The project was written up in this weeks Time Out NYC, and should be quite an experience.

I feel bad to keep inviting people to my events. I promise after November things slow down, and I will stop bothering you all:) However it is nice to hang out and drink free wine! So if you can, stop by tomorrow night for the group show Invisible Truth. The Westbeth Gallery, 6pm – 8pm. 55 Bethune St. @ Washington.

I just came across this tidbit and I wanted to says congrats to Ofer (also check out his very interesting blog) He is a great photographer and I am happy to see him getting some attention. You can see more of his work here. I have heard such great things about Paris Photo, I hope to be able to attend someday.

The BMW – Paris Photo Prize

Launched in 2004 to support contemporary photography, the BMW–Paris Photo Prize has become an important landmark in the world of international photography.

A panel of prestigious international experts will select the winner of this €12,000 prize from among the living artists represented by the Paris Photo 2008 participating galleries. The theme for 2008 is “Never Stand Still”. The short-listed works will be on view during Paris Photo and the awards ceremony will take place on Thursday, November 13, 2008.

I got an email from Will Steacy today, fellow blogger, and my current compatriot at the Michael Mazzeo Gallery. I met Will via Amy Elkins at the NY Photo fest and I am super impressed with his enthusiasm and excitement for photography. Will is having some rent issues, so I spirit of self reliance he is having a print sale. I highly recommend you check out the work, he is super talented. These are my two favorites but check out his blog to see his other offerings.